Using internal hard drive externally for backup

[Zheng Kit]

Hi guys, I have a question. Does an internal hard drive last longer than external drive? I have an extra internal hard drive, not sure whether I use that externally with sata to USB cable or buy an external drive for backup data.

I heard that external drive is definitely going to break as it has moving parts? Just the matter of time they said.

 

[Toothless]

If it's on, it's wearing. Simple as that. If you keep moving it, it'll wear and/or die out.

 

[arbiter]

Depends on the external you buy, a lot of them are just internal drives plugged in to a usb or network card with a case around it. All drives will break at some point but externals tend probably break more cause small case and more likely getting moved around to diff machines more offen.

If it's on, it's wearing. Simple as that. If you keep moving it, it'll wear and/or die out.

I have had very good luck with leaving drives in my comp i leave on 24/7. IMO turning them off and on is more wear on them then just leaving them powered on.

 

[Toothless]

Depends on the external you buy, a lot of them are just internal drives plugged in to a usb or network card with a case around it. All drives will break at some point but externals tend probably break more cause small case and more likely getting moved around to diff machines more offen.


I have had very good luck with leaving drives in my comp i leave on 24/7. IMO turning them off and on is more wear on them then just leaving them powered on.

My main stuff just stays on. Can't fail if it's not off to fail.

 

[Zheng Kit]

All drives will break at some point but externals tend probably break more cause small case and more likely getting moved around to diff machines more offen.

Yeah that's what I heard.

It would be better for me to just use the internal hard drive as backup as well because I can save money by not having to buy an external drive.

My main stuff just stays on. Can't fail if it's not off to fail.

I shutdown my laptop every night, is it bad?

 

[Toothless]

Yeah that's what I heard.

It would be better for me to just use the internal hard drive as backup as well because I can save money by not having to buy an external drive.


I shutdown my laptop every night, is it bad?

It's been proven that shutting down cold and starting all the time is not as good as leaving it on, but YMMV.

 

[arbiter]

It's been proven that shutting down cold and starting all the time is not as good as leaving it on, but YMMV.

i have 3x4tb drives, one is at 61000 hours yes 61k, other 2 are 68500 hours. Respectively 7-8years of powered on time still 0 problems

 

[Mussels]

Whatever you get, you'll want it powered off as much as possible and moved as little as possible.

It's been proven that shutting down cold and starting all the time is not as good as leaving it on, but YMMV.

Modern drives have "green" features to auto power down no matter what the OS says, so that's not much of a thing any more.

 

[Toothless]

Whatever you get, you'll want it powered off as much as possible and moved as little as possible.


Modern drives have "green" features to auto power down no matter what the OS says, so that's not much of a thing any more.

Flash backs to WD Caviar Green.

 

[Jetster]

Six of one, a half dozen of another. Its doesn't matter. To many variables to say ether way. Nothing is definitive

It's why we have back ups

 

[Vya Domus]

They can always fail anyway. I had 3 HDDs fail in one year and I decided to never touch mechanical drives again.

 

[delshay]

i have 3x4tb drives, one is at 61000 hours yes 61k, other 2 are 68500 hours. Respectively 7-8years of powered on time still 0 problems

Well I have a 13 year old TV... & I bought a External hard drive around that time It's still going strong as of today.. It s always recording when TV is on for live TV pausing, but it also has TV films recoding going back the full 13 years..